konica CINEMA LENSES

Konica was once the oldest Japanese camera manufacturer. Based in Tokyo, Japan, Konica became known for its contributions to photography and optics throughout the 20th century. Konica started as a drugstore in the mid 19th century called Konishi-ya Rokubei Ten and its name later evolved from “Konishi” and “camera” into Konica. The company began by selling photographic materials before producing its own equipment in the 1870s, eventually becoming a major force in camera and film production. Throughout the 20th century, Konica was prolific across virtually every camera format before ceasing all camera, lens, and film manufacturing in 2006 and merged with Minolta. Their lenses – particularly the Hexanon line of SLR glass – earned a reputation for exceptional sharpness, rich color rendition, and a distinctive contrast profile, qualities that continue to attract cinematographers today who value their organic, character-driven image capture. Today, the GL Optics Konica Hexanon Primes stand as a proud part of Cine Visuals’ inventory, preserving and modernizing this legacy for contemporary filmmaking.